Video Transcript
Given that 𝑍 is equal to three
minus nine 𝑖 divided by one plus three 𝑖, determine the absolute value or modulus
of 𝑍.
We recall that for any complex
number of the form 𝑎 plus 𝑏𝑖, the modulus of that complex number is equal to the
square root of 𝑎 squared plus 𝑏 squared. In order to divide any two complex
numbers, we need to multiply the numerator and denominator by the complex conjugate
of the denominator, as this creates a real number on the denominator. If 𝑍 is equal to 𝑎 plus 𝑏𝑖,
then the complex conjugate 𝑍 star is equal to 𝑎 minus 𝑏𝑖. The complex conjugate of one plus
three 𝑖 is one minus three 𝑖. Therefore, we need to multiply
three minus nine 𝑖 over one plus three 𝑖 by one minus three 𝑖 over one minus
three 𝑖.
We will do this by distributing the
parentheses or expanding the brackets using the FOIL method. Multiplying the numerators gives us
three minus nine 𝑖 minus nine 𝑖 plus 27𝑖 squared. We recall that 𝑖 squared is equal
to negative one. As 27 multiplied by negative one is
negative 27, the numerator simplifies to negative 24 minus 18𝑖. Distributing the parentheses on the
denominators gives us one minus three 𝑖 plus three 𝑖 minus nine 𝑖 squared. Once again, we can replace 𝑖
squared with negative one. Negative three 𝑖 plus three 𝑖 is
equal to zero. Therefore, the denominator
simplifies to 10.
We can then split the real and
imaginary parts. So we have negative 24 over 10
minus 18 over 10 𝑖. Both of these fractions simplify so
that the complex number 𝑍 is equal to negative 12 over five minus nine over five
𝑖. We can now calculate the modulus of
this complex number. We need to find the sum of the
squares of the real and imaginary components and then square root our answer. This simplifies to the square root
of 144 over 25 plus 81 over 25. Adding the numerators of our two
fractions gives us 225. As 225 divided by 25 is equal to
nine, the modulus of the complex number 𝑍 is equal to the square root of nine. This gives us a final answer of
three.
If 𝑍 is equal to three minus nine
𝑖 divided by one plus three 𝑖, then the modulus of 𝑍 is equal to three.